Street Children Program

STREET CHILDREN ARE ALWAYS VICTIMS

Domestic violence

(often with step-parents)

Abuse

(physical, sexual, psychological)

Forced labor

School drop out

Migration

(mainly from upper Egypt and rural areas)

Drugs

FACE Street Children Program aims to help children and youth living and working on the streets of Cairo. Many are victims of abuse, abandonment, and trafficking, living on the streets without parental care or protection. The goal of the Street Children Program is to help reintegrate these children back into society, either with their families or by fostering in a host family (Kafala), entry into the education system, and opportunities for training and employment.

Street Children Program

Build a relationship of trust with street children

Outreach

The Outreach Team is the first step in the program, setting the foundation to build a relationship of trust with the child, identifying and understanding how the child came to be living and working on the streets. The goals of the Outreach Team are to support street children who do not have – or have little – access to basic services such as medical care, shelter, and education.

The Outreach Team consists of 10 social workers who cover more than 50 locations throughout Cairo, often accompanied by a medical team. The social workers build the relationship with the children through regular visits to the area. They provide much-needed support such as first aid and psychological support, as well as non-formal education and activities. The children are also informed of the Drop-In Center and can start imagining an alternative to life on the streets.

The work of the Outreach Team also extends to migrant and refugee children, and children victim of violence in childcare institutions. In these situations, FACE works closely with the Ministry of Social Solidarity and the General Department of Social Defence.

1,000

street children reached per year

14,292

medical care interventions to street children until today

Street Children Program

Create a link between life on the streets and society

Drop-In Center

The FACE Drop-In Center in Al Salam City, Cairo, offers street children access to food, hygiene facilities, medical and psychological care, non-formal education, life skills (child rights, drugs, organ trafficking, HIV, reproductive health, road safety…) and recreational activities. Many of the children coming into the center have been through extreme violence and abuse, and the center is a place where they can find safety, understanding and support. There is strong child participation and children are asked to create the centers rules. It has a complete open-door policy; children can come anytime during opening hours and stay as long as they wish. The center is made up of a team leader, social workers, medical staff, psychologist, teachers and support staff. The team works closely with the local community to strengthen the center’s social environment.

800

children per year access the Drop-In Center

Street Children Program

Provide temporary shelter to street children until safely reintegrated

Transitional Home

The FACE Transitional Home offers accommodation in a safe and secure environment off the streets. Open day and night, access is completely voluntary; children can decide how long they want to stay and are free to leave at any time.

The home offers a family-like atmosphere, with full-time social workers on hand to offer much-needed care and stability. It is a totally hands-on approach where the children are fully involved at every level. The home also offers access to child friendly education programs, schools and vocational trainings. The home is run by live-in social workers and caregivers with and the presence of security staff.

In addition, the home is used as an emergency shelter for children facing medical or social emergencies.

80

children reside in the Transitional Home yearly

Street Children Program

Adapt education to children’s needs helping them to shape their future

Child Friendly School

The FACE Child Friendly School helps to bridge the gap between life on the streets with no rules and a formal classroom. The non-formal education in these classes are simple, child centred and fun where they learn basics. It is rather “goal orientated” than “certificate orientated” to instil the desire to learn. It aims to upgrade the educational levels of the street children to reintegrate them into public schools.

100

street children reintegrated into public schools, vocational training and jobs yearly

STREET CHILDREN HELPED UNTIL TODAY

Outreach

13,350

Drop-In Center

5,327

Transitional Home

690

Child Friendly School

1,161

Street Children Program

Reintegrate children into family, education, jobs and society

Reintegration

The reintegration of each child into society is one of the most challenging and top priorities of FACE. FACE provides a comprehensive support plan adapted to the child’s holistic needs. Together, the social worker and the child set specific life goals with progressive and achievable steps. They work closely with the families to understand and solve the initial reason of why the child is on the street.

This also includes providing support to families to start an income generating micro business to prevent the child from returning to the street.